1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a double hinged door system. More particularly, the present invention provides a system that comprises a door and a door frame, wherein the door frame comprises a hinge-side vertical member provided with a pair of hinges for holding the door capable of rotating and a latch-side vertical member provided with a latch receiving member for receiving a latch.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general houses, either a left hinged door or a right hinged door is selected to meet a floor plan. The left hinged door is a type where a pair of hinges are attached to the left side of a door, while the right hinged door is that a pair hinges are attached to the right side of the door. Also, two types of door frames are prepared and used to assemble the left hinged and right hinged doors. However, it is inefficient to prepare two types of doors and door frames since there is needed double trouble in production, storage and sale.
To overcome such drawback, the applicant of the present invention invented a door structure comprising a door and a door frame and has filed an patent application in Japan (Japanese Patent Application No. 11-046347). This invention is such that a latch can be positioned at the mid-height of a door without moving a door handle in a vertical direction. According to this invention, a door and a door frame can be utilized for both a left hinged and right hinged door systems.
However, a latch assembled to this door could not correspond to this system because of its figure. Therefore, it is convenient if a latch can be used for both the left hinged and right hinged door systems by simply reversing its posture. Further, it is also convenient if a pair of hinges assembled to the door can be used for both systems.
The applicant of the present invention invented a latch which could be reversed without removing a latch apparatus from a door and has filed a patent application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-089430). According to this invention, it is easy to reverse the latch since there is no need to remove the apparatus and plates and other parts included in the apparatus, thus improving working property. Further, according to this invention, it is unnecessary to remove the latch apparatus to reverse the latch, so that there is no need to screw the screws to the points where the screws had once been fastened thereto and have been unfastened to remove the apparatus, so that the screws will not be loosened for that reason, and thus the function of the apparatus will improve. It is economical that only a single plate is required in this invention.
The applicant of the present invention invented a hinge used for both a left hinged and right hinged door system through one touch operation and has filed a patent application for this invention (Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-030671). According to this invention, the hinge can be assembled to a door both from the front and back sides of the door for any number of times through one touch operation, so that it can be used for both the left hinged and right hinged door systems for demands in the fields. Further, in this invention, there is no need to fasten or unfasten wood screws to replace the hinge from the front side to the back side of a door and vice versa, thus an assemble operation becomes easy. And, a demerit of the wood screws, that is a deterioration of holding capability. e.g., becomes no drawback. Further, it is possible to package the parts in separation, so that they are prevented from being deformed or damaged by a outer mechanical shock during transportation, and that they are maintained in a stable posture during transportation. Furthermore, no extra cushion materials are needed, so that a cost for packaging and transportation is saved.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a double hinged door system in which a structure of a door and door frame, both used for a left hinged and right hinged door systems, is combined with a latch and a pair of hinges, both of which are also used in the left hinged and right hinged door systems, providing a new system.
A double hinged door system according to a first aspect of the invention comprises a door 10 having a latch driving apparatus 15 which converts a rotation movement of an axis 91 of a door handle 90 into a forward-and-backward movement of a latch 40; and a door frame having a hinge-side vertical member 20 and a latch-side vertical member 25. The hinge-side vertical member 20 is provided with a pair of hinges 30 at an upper and lower portions for holding the door 10 capable of rotating. The latch-side vertical member 25 is provided with a latch receiving member 50 having a latch hole 52 for receiving the latch 40 projected from the door 10.
Each hinge 30 is positioned symmetrical about the midpoint of the hinge-side vertical member 20, and the latch hole 52 of the latch receiving member 50 is positioned at a point which divides the latch-side vertical member 25 into equal halves.
The latch 40 is arranged capable of rotating and is composed of a front-end member 40F having a large diameter and a rear-end member 40R having a smaller diameter. The latch driving apparatus 15 comprises an upward member 61 projected upward from the axis 91 of the door handle 90; a downward member 62 projected downward from the axis 91 of the door handle 90; a vertical bar 63 attached to the rear-end member 40R of the latch 40 capable of sliding; a horizontal bar 64 which includes a large member 64a at its end portion and which is connected with the upward member 61 at the front of the large member 64a and is also connected with the bottom end portion of the vertical bar 63 at the front portion thereof; a first spring 66 which is sled onto the horizontal bar 64 in between the upward member 61 and the vertical bar 63, and which pushes the vertical bar 63 in the forward direction, projecting the front-end member 40F of the latch 40 out of the door 10; and a second spring 65 which pushes the upward member 61 in the rear direction, returning the door handle 90 to the home position.
The latch 40 is positioned at the level of the latch hole 52 and higher than the axis 91, and is provided with a concave 40a at the front-end member 40F, and is also provided with a thick portion 40b at the rear-end member 40R. A reversing spring 71 with a greater elastic force than the first spring 66 is sled onto the latch 40 in between the thick portion 40b and the vertical bar 63. The rear-end member 40R of the latch 40 is pulled out of the door 10 against the elastic force of the reversing spring 71 as a stick 95, e.g., a screwdriver is pulled after it is inserted into the concave 40a, and then the latch 40 is reversed from side to side, and subsequently the latch 40 returns into the door 10 in a reversed posture by an elastic force of the reversing spring 71 as the stick 95 is released from the concave 40a. 
Each hinge 30 comprises a frame-side base member 41, which is attached to a hinge-side vertical member 20, and whose front end is connected with a first plate 31; and a door-side base member 42, which is attached to the edge side of the door 10, and whose front end is connected with a second plate 32. The second plate 32 is removable from the door-side base member 42, and the door-side base member 42 is embedded at the edge of the door-side base member 42 as such that it is symmetrical about the center line of the edge and that it is not projected from the edge forming a flat surface with the edge.
The door-side base member 42 is provided with a slit 44 in the depth (thickness) direction of the door 10, which receives the front end of the second plate 32 from both the front and back sides of the door 10. And a lock apparatus is provided to make an engagement relation with the second plate 32 inserted into the slit 44.
A second aspect of a double hinged door system according to the present invention is characterized in that the rear end of the second plate 32 is attached to the first plate 31 capable of moving upward and downward directions with adjusting screws 36, 37. The front end of the first plate 31 is placed in a long hole 43 of the frame-side base member 41, where the width of the long hole 43 is wider than the thickness of the first plate 31, thus, the first plate 31 is capable of moving in the depth direction of the first plate 31 within the long hole 43. And, the front end of the first plate 31 is connected to the frame-side base member 41 capable of moving closer to and away from the member 41 by fixing an adjusting screw or an adjusting cam 45.
A third aspect of a double hinged door system according to the present invention is characterized in that the second plate 32 is provided with a hole 34 at the center of the front end thereof. The lock apparatus is composed of an elastic projection 48a, 48b which extends into the hole 34 and engages therewith as the hole 34 comes to the position opposing to the projections 48a, 48b, while it is compressed otherwise. And, the elastic projection 48a, 48b is compressed in order to disengage with the hole 34.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a pair of hinge is provided at an upper and lower portions which are symmetrical about the midpoint of the height of the hinge-side vertical member, and the latch hole is formed at a point which divides the latch-side vertical member into equal halves. Further, the latch is positioned at a level equal to the latch hole but higher than the door handle. Therefore, the levels of the latch driving apparatus and the latch itself are maintained even the door is reversed from side to side. Both the hinge-side vertical member and the latch-side vertical member of a door frame are turned from top to bottom in 180 degrees and are then reversed from side to side, but their heights are maintained the same as in the previous postures.
Further, the latch can be rotated without replacing parts such as a key member and plates. Thus, it is unnecessary to unscrew the fixing screws and re-screw them at the same points in order to reverse the latch, so that the fixing screws are prevented from being loosened. Also, a reversing operation of the latch becomes easy. Further, the latch is quickly reversed to a posture corresponding to a left-hinged door system or a right-hinged door system in the fields.
A combined unit of the first plate, the second plate and the frame-side base member of a hinge is removable from the door-side base member, and the unit can be inserted into the slit formed at the door-side base member from both the front and back sides of the door through one-touch operation for any number of times, so that the hinge can be quickly attached to either a left-hinged door or right-hinged door as desired in the fields. A combined unit of the first plate, second plate and frame-side base member can be packaged while it is removed from the door-side base member, so that it is prevented from being deformed or damaged and stabilized in posture during transportation. Therefore, no extra cushion materials are required during transportation, which can save costs. Further, the door-side base member is embedded in the edge of a door making a flat surface and not projecting therefrom, so that the door can be stabilized during transportation, as well.
As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the door, door frame, latch and a pair of hinges are systematized for both a left-hinged and right-hinged doors, so that a double-hinged door system with higher productivity is provided.
According to a second aspect of the present invention in addition to the advantages of the first aspect, a door can be moved to the vertical, horizontal and depth directions while the door is in a closed position by fixing the adjusting screws and adjusting cam, so that it is easy to fine adjust the door when and after the door is attached.
According to a third aspect of the present invention in addition to the first and second advantages of the first and second aspects of the inventions, the lock apparatus is simply structured that it is composed of a elastic projection such as a spring, engaging member or blade spring. Engagement and disengagement operations with this lock apparatus are easily performed by simply extending and compressing the elastic projection.